Machine for making wirebound boxes



23 Y Aug 1927. J. SHELLENBERGER MACHINE FOR MAKING WIREBOUND BOXES J. SHELLENBERG ER Aug. 23,1927. 1,639,674

MACHINE Fox MAKING WIREBOUND BoxEs Filed Anni 50.. 192s 4 sheets-sheet 2 Aug. 23, 1927,

J. SHELLENBERGER MACHINE FOR MAKING WIREBOUND BOXES 23 1 Aug- 927- J. SHELLENBERGER MACHINE FOR MAKING' WIREBOUND BOXES x Filed April 30. 1926 4 sheets-sneet'4 iff/429250.

Patented Aug. 23, 1927.

Unire!) Ystair-Iss JOHN SHELLENBERGERQOF.CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. i

p MACHINE non MAKING WIREBOUND Boxnsf Appncatiannied April 3o, 1926.V serial 110.1105315.'

This invention pertains to machines for making vire bound boxes, and moreiparticularly for making' boxes with binding wires which have eyes twisted at each end.

A forni of these wire bound boxes is fully disclosed in my iatent No. 1,033,833, issued July 30, 19'12.

The wire bound boxes in common use have the ends of the binding wires extended above the front side of the box, and have the other ends extending beyond the edge of the lid of the box. After the box is filled for shipment, these ends of the binding wires are twisted together; and when the consignes opens the box the wires are cut, which ruins the box so that it cannot be readily fastened again. Considerable money is lost in this way every year. Twisting eyes Aon the ends of the binding wires is not new, but I know of no machine that can ,successfully staple the box blanks; neither` do I know of any machine that has been successful in manufacturing wire bound boxesV withthe edges of the box boards bevelled for the purpose of securing a tight box.

@ne known and ordinary method Aof manufacturing wire bound boxes is by using forms lor frames that travel on rails which carry the assembled box boards through the stapling machine while the binding wires are.

being stapled on suoli boards; but in such method the forms have heretofore been carried by hand from the rear of the machine around to the front to be again passed through the machine with another box blank thereon, and it is apparent that where the box blank is large, up to sixteen feet long, it is expensive and impractical; and furthermore each size box requires a different size form in such known method of manufacture, thus producing an additional expense.

@ne object of my invention is to provide a form or frame that canbe quickly adjusted to accommodate various size boxes. A further object is to provide means or mechanism by which the travel` of the form is automatically reversed, makingl the form travel through the stapling machine while stapling one blank, and then returning the form thru the stapling `machine while stapling another box blank. lVhile stapling the box blank it is fed by 'a step by step movement so as to give the staples time to pass through the box board. This has heretofore been done by a rack-bar actuated by a crank or an eccentric which is drivenat the samespeed vasthat of` the main drive shaft so as to time properly with the staple driver 'and the rack-bar thus driven, moves the box formduring about one-third of the revolution of the" driveshaft, thus giving the form a 4jerkrorfquick movement as it starts, which is liable to 'disarrangethebox boards positioned onk said form, especially if the box boards are-bevelled soas to, overlap. Consequently one ,object of invention is' to overcome this defectl andto provide pawls and means ,for imparting to the form or frame a movement which starts gradually and slowly, usin morefthan.three-fourths of the revolution o the main shaft to drive one stepl of the form, but by which the pawls are returned instantly for the next gradual movement of saidrform. 'Another object is to provide means, preferably in the form ofY holding bars, `for holding thebox boards'in positionv when assembled in the form, sol that the boards will remain in positiomhoweve'r much warped they maybe, and to prevent the bevelledwedges of the boards from. crawling over eachother. 'i

` ,A further-obj ect of nay-invention is to providemeans for quickly placing and drawing taut theY Vbinding wiresl that have eyes twisted on'each end, preferably by providing adjustable members with hooks for re- Ceivingsaid eyes," and vmeans for makingV all the binding wires: taut simultaneously, so that staples being driven,xwill straddle the wiresV without missing. vAnother object of my invention is to' provide a rack-bar with blockson which teethare placed away from the 'centerV so that should a staple come between boxboards, the blockwith its tooth can bereversed so as to bring the staples away from the edge and fully on the box board. l

-Theseyobjects and other objects and advantageous ends are accomplished with my invention, as' willbecome apparent from the kfollowing description taken in connection with the 'accompanying drawings, in which, rFig'. l is a side view-of a stapling machine with my invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of myl improved form or frame, which constitutes part of the present invention; l Y Y Fig. 3 shows ak vertical cross section of a machine with my form or' frame thereon, part-s being broken away;

Fig. 4 isa vertical sectional View taken'on line-,4&4 ofv Fig 3, with parts broken away;

Fig. is a vertical sectional view taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is a perspective view ot my reversible block with a tooth olf center thereon,-

forming a. part of the rack-bar; Y

Fig. 7 is a side view of the mechanism for advancing the form in reverse directions;

Fig. 8 is a plan view thereof; Fig. 9 is a detail view showing the advantage of reversing a block in the rackebar, so

as to avoid driving a lstaple between the box bolts orl the like. Suitable stapling members or devices y16 aremounted in propei positions on the machine, in the usual manner, to drive thestaples into the box boards and fasten the binding wires thereon.

Myk improved form or frame comprises -end beams or rails 20 and 21, and side beams or rails 22 and 23 fastened thereon, said side beams having bottom grooves 24 slidable on ribs 25 provided on track members 14. On each side beam or rail is mounted a rackbar which includes a pair of/ba'rs 27, fastened on the beam with bolts 28 or the like, and being bevel-led at the adjacent sides to provide a groove which is contracted at its upper edge; and in each groove are inovably and reversibly mounted bevelled blocks 29 each having a tooth 30 thereon offset from the center of the block and preferably integral therewith. These blocks are fastened in lposition bya set screw 31 orthe like, and are reversible in said groove to bring any tooth in a vdifferent relative position on the rack-bar.

, I also provide means for adjusting the form or frame for its length and width so as to accommodate 'the vari-ous size box blanks, andl this means includes an auxiliary side rail 32 adjustably mounted on the end rails 20and 21 y(see Figs. 2 and 10), as by the use of anA angle iron 33 havinga slanting lower flange 34 which fdraws the end l'rail and auxiliary rail together' with increasing firmness as the fastening screw 35 draws the angle iron against the auxiliaryrail. This means for adjustingthe size ofthe lform also includes a cross rodi36 'fastened on brackets 37 and 38 which are mounted onthe rack-bars, bythe use of bolts 39 extending from blocks 29, or in any ksuitable manner. Collars 40 a'readjusta'bly mounted on said rod, by set screws 41,andv have hooks 42 for receiving the eyes 43 yprovided at the'l endsof porting rails 14 mounted thereon, with binding wires 44. I-Iooks 45 are also provided on the end rail 21 to receive the eyes at the other ends of said wires 44, and these hooks are threaded into said rail in the po sitions desired, thus making both sets of hooks adjustable laterallyV on the form or frame to suit the particular size of box blank and the particular numberof binding wires used.

'Ihemeans for drawing and holding all the binding" wires taut simultaneously includes an operating handle 46 fastened on said rod 36, and carrying a pawl 47 which engages a ratchet segment 48fastened on said bracket 38 to hold said rod and wires in position.

I also provide means Vfor holding` the box boards 49 firmly in position while the staples 50 are driven therein to faste-n the binding wires on said boards, and such means ncludes a holding bar 51 swingably mounted with hinge arms 52 on hinge plates 53 fastened on bolts'oi' stems 54 provided on bevelled blocks 55 held at 'the ends of the grooves formed between rack-bars ,27, and by set screws 3l. A holding bar 56 is swingably mounted with hinge arms 57 on hinge plates 53 which. are fastened on the auxiliary side bar 32, with bolts 59 or the like. Teeth 51"'and A56 are preferably provided on bars 51 and 56 respectively toengage into the box boards and hold them lfirmly in the proper positions on the inwardly extending portions'of side rail 22 and vof auxiliary rail 32. v

Means or mechanism is provided for open4 ating they form or frame and giving` it steady step by step movement through the machine, and this means comprises a pair of oppositely arranged levers 31 a-ncl 62 pivote'd on standards 12 of tl machine frame and carrying respectively pawls 63 and64 on 'pivot Vpins 65 Aand 6G Springs 67 and G3 normally press saidpawls down to engage teethf30 on the rack-bar. rThe levers are curved at the lower parte 61 arid 62 and each preferably has a bearing plate or ltip 69 at ythe end. An eccentric dise or wheel 70 is mounted on the usual drive shaft 71 Vof the machine and may be driven in any suitable manner; anc preferably the edge or perimeter of this disc or wheel is made eccentric, having a short surface or space 70 with an even or regular curvature, then extending gradually, spirally outward providing an increasing radius up to a point 70 whe-re it drops abruptly inward to the short surface or space 70. A rod 72 is hell in a bracket l73 on standardy l2 and err-tends through slots 74 in the levers-while coil springs 75 on said rod normally move the vlevers and-pawls apart and hold the bearing tips G9 Vagainst the eccentric edge or perimeter of wheel 70. I

71th "this arrangement of levers, pawls and eccentric wheel, the travel of tipsv69 on the' space 70', oic regular curvature, effects a temporary period of rest of the lever and its pawl which is in engagement with the rack-bar, thus making-sure .that said'rackbar and form stand still at the moment the stapling machine drives the staple on to the wires into the board; and with the gradual outward curvature of the perimeter,. the torni and the supported box boards are gradually and steadily advanced until the tip 69 drops from point-70' down to the space 70, and the active lever then idly returns the pawl yback ot the succeeding tooth 30 for the next forward movement of the form and supported box boards, thus giving the form and boards a gradual and, steady stepA by step movement throughthe machine.

Means is provided for automatically reversing the `form operating vmechanism and for moving said form in 'two opposite directions through the machine, and this means comprises a pawl releasing member or bar 76 with a raised part or cam 77 thereon to be moved alternately under the side. pins yor pegs 78 and 79 providedon pawls 63 and 64, for raising either one of these pawls out of its operative position, while the opposing companion pawl engages therack-gbar and o aerates the form and box boards. The bar f7 is slidably supported in brackets 80 on' the. track members 14. A swingable 'arm or lever 8l is Vfulcrumed on a pin 82 mounted on th-e standard l2, and

' i is provided with a rib 83 which is engaged by pins 84 extending outwardly from rackbarsQT, consequently swinging the lever 81 and moving it against pins 85 which extend outwardly from the pawl releasing bar 76, and thereby automatically moving said bar and its cam 77 so as to lift one pawl into inoperative position and drop the other pawl into operative engagement with the rack-bar. Springs 86 tend to return and retain lever 81 in its central or neutral position. An index linger 87 is also provided on theV rack-bar of the form to co-operate with a notch or mark 88 on track member 14, for

setting the form in the proper position on the machine so that the staples are driven in the proper and desired position on ythe boards.

flint l claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A boxblank making machine comprising a :t'orm for assembling box boards, means for quickly adjusting said form to the desired size of lboxblank, means on the form for holding binding wires in position to be attached to the box boards, and means for operating said form so as to permit the stapling ot the binding wires to the box boards to form a wirel bound boxblank while the form is traveling through the machine in either of two opposite directions.

2. A box'making machine comprising a form arranged ,for assembling box boards thereon, said :torm-includingan auxiliary side member and an auxiliary end member,

.both-beingladjustable to .suit the required size cifthe box :and provide a complete form within the machine, wire engaging means on said auxiliaryv end member, and means for vrevolving said end member to tighten the wires'engaged by the means thereon.

A box making machine comprising a form 'for assembling box boards thereon,

hinged :bars extending longitueinally yof said form arranged to be swung outward while boards are being assembled, and `then swung back on the box boards and having means for engaging and positively holding the boards and prevent them from sliding over each other. v

4, A box making machine comprising a vform for assemblino` box boards thereon,

and hinged bars extending longitudinally'of 4said form arranged to be swung outward kwhile the boards are being assembled, and teeth on said barsto engage theboards f' when the bars are .swung inward, and to prevent boards with vrjoining bevelled edges from creeping over each other during the movement of said form.

5. A box making machine comprising a form onwhich t-o assemble box boards, the form having a movable auxiliary end rail, and adjustable collars on said rail having hooksto hold binding wires. i

6. A box making machine comprising a form on which to-assemble box boards, said form having an auxiliary end rail, collars on said rail with hooks to hold binding wires, and means for turning said rail for simultaneously drawing the binding` wires taut. 7. A box making machine comprising a form onf which to assemble box boards, mechanism including oppositely arranged operating means, each including a pawl continuously operative while the form is being fed in one direction and so arranged as to remain idle while the form is being fed in the opposite direction, and a slidable bar with cam means for retracting the pawl in operation and to release the opposite pawl to cause travel of the form in the opposite direction.

Y 8. A box making machine comprising a form for assembling box boards, oppositely arranged means tor operating the form in opposite direct-ions, and means for setting said operating means by placing said form in its operative work assembling position on said machine, thereby assuring the movement of said form in the desired direction. 9. A box making machinecomprising a form for assembling box boards, mechanism for operating said form and including a rack-bar with oppositely arranged pawls riti ibi?

the pawl in operation, and a swingable armV and means for actuating said trip-bar whereby the other pawl may be brought into operation to cause the travel of said form in a reverse direction.

l1. A box making machine comprising a form for assembling box boards, a Arack-bar on said vform, oppositely operating pawls t'or actuating the `rack-bar, a trip-member with cam means for releasing one of said pawls, and an arm with means thereon for actuating` .said trip member through the movement of said form into its operative position on the machine. p

l2. A box making machine comprising a form tor assembling boxfboards, a rack-bar on said form, pawls for actuating said rackbar in opposite directions, a trip member with means lfor releasing either one of said pawls, an arm with mea-ns for actu-ating said trip member, and means projecting from the rack-bar for actuating said arm to operate the trip member and vrelease one pawl when the Jform is moved into its operative position on the machine.

13. A box making machine comprising a form for assembling` box boards, mechanism including oppositely operating pawls and levers to actuate y.said form, and any eccentric wheel with a spiral rim ytor operating said levers and pawls to give the orm a step by step movement.

14:. A box making machine comprising a form with a rack-bar, oppositely arranged pawls for operating said rack-bar in opposite directions, levers 'for moving said pawls, and an eccentric wheel with a spiral Vperimeter for operating said levers and pawls with a gradual motionto give the form a steady, ste-p by step movement.

l5. il box making machine comprising a form for assembling box boards thereon,

mechanism for feeding said form in opposite directions including oppositely koperating pawls, lever means for operating said pawls, and an eccentric spiral rimmed wheel for operating said lever means, said wheel having an innermost portion which is s-o disposed as to be within the arc of: a circle having its center coinciding with the axis of the wheel wiiereby to provide a dwell in the .movement ot the form so thatthe form may remain stationary while staples are being inserted, an eccentric portion ext-'ending outwardly from this annular portion so as to cause the 'form to have a slow feeding movement, and a sudden drop between the end of said eccentric portion and said annular portion.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

JOHN SHELLENBERGER. 

